Today (April 1st) is April Fools' Day, and communities worldwide are rolling out their pranks. Loads of ACG IPs are getting in on the action, interacting with fans through wild, brainless fantasies or even ideas that feel like they could actually happen. Either way, it's a guaranteed attention-grabber.
This year, Cygames' mega-popular training sim mobile game, Uma Musume Pretty Derby, dropped an April Fools' bombshell: a collab with the classic horse racing anime, Midori no Makibaoh! They even released a special fake opening theme, "Hashire OO Oh," which instantly blew fans away with its awesome surprise.
Midori no Makibaoh (みどりのマキバオー), created by Tsunomaru, was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" across two series in the 90s. It was a hugely popular horse racing manga back in the day and later adapted into a TV anime. 2026 also marks the anime's 30th anniversary.
The story follows Poop-chan, a little foal born with rare fur unlike his parents, at the impoverished Green Pastures ranch. After his mother is taken away, he quietly vows to become an excellent racehorse, slowly but surely making his way to becoming the world's strongest.
This fake OP video, "Hashire OO Oh," is actually a reimagining of Midori no Makibaoh's original opening theme. It even adopts the classic art style, transforming the Uma Musume girls into characters from the series.
▼ "Uma Musume Pretty Derby" x "Midori no Makibaoh" April Fools' Fake OP "Hashire OO Oh"
▼ "Midori no Makibaoh" Original OP "Hashire! Makibaoh"
▼ And there's even an ED version, LOL.
The official team went all out this time, even launching a dedicated official website and promising collaborative merchandise! This April Fools' prank is basically a goldmine, LOL.
Seriously, the Uma Musume team poured their hearts into this April Fools' project! Not just a post, but a full-blown official website, an MV, and even merch sales. This marketing blitz is definitely hitting hard, LOL!